Newbie

[Marlene14]

Good day,

Please introduce and guide me to MTB!

I believe Im in shape, never done MTB , don't even have a bike yet but very interested.

Where do I start?

Im a lady, situated in afairland, Johannesburg.

[Guest notmyname]

Welcome welcome. Go on a skills course is an absolute must. Have fun out there.

[Big Ray]

Welcome, I think a skills course is important for your riding skills will help you enjoy the riding a lot more.

 

What you also need to do is decide what your budget for a bike and kit (helmet etc.) is and take it from there, depending how serious you want to take it and what kind of riding you want to do will dictate what kind of bike you should get to start. My personal advice would be, get yourself a decent seconds hand bike no use buying an overly expensive bike and you don't enjoy it, once you decide you do want to get more serious it's easier to upgrade your bike.

[Uni]

HI Marlene.

Might be worth heading out to some of the bike parks that rent bikes to ride around a bit and get a feel for before forking out money for bike, helmet, padded shorts, gloves.

 

Northern farms is a good start, or big red barn and PWC - usually between R150-R300 to rent for a couple of hours.

[Longbarn Killer]

Buy a mountain bike that fits your budget. I'm a firm believer in buying new first time around. The bike shop will advise on correct size, setup etc and you get a warranty. You also know that the bike will be in perfect condition.

 

People will tell you that you need this type of bike for marathon and that type of bike for cross country or this type of bike for trail riding and single track etc, etc etc. Don't listen to them. They are making it too complicated. Just buy yourself a bike to ride.

 

Then get on it and ride it. Ride as often as you want, when you want. Your skills will improve as you progress along.

[Boerklong]

Welcome.

[Mntboy]

Good day,

Please introduce and guide me to MTB!

I believe Im in shape, never done MTB , don't even have a bike yet but very interested.

Where do I start?

Im a lady, situated in afairland, Johannesburg.

Hi Marlene

 

Welcome to the Bikehub!

 

I would suggest that you take Uni's advice and go to bike parks that rent out bikes. Also try to go with a friend who knows a bit about the sport and can give some practical advice. If you decide you enjoy mountain biking then you can start looking for a decent bike and kit and we'd be happy to assist with advice with that when the time comes but first see if you like the sport.

 

If you have done the above and you do like mountain biking I suggest the following:

1) decide what your budget will be for the entire thing, ie to buy both bike and the minimum necessary kit

2) start looking for a new or second hand bike in your price range and purchase the one you feel most comfortable on and enjoyed riding the most

3) get the necessary kit which is a helmet, a cycling shirt and a pair of padded shorts

4) start riding and building your confidence and your skills. To improve your skills you could either attend a course/have a friend/SO teach you or use the GMBN videos on YouTube or even better yet both

5) start suffering from upgradititis (the need for more mountain bike stuff including new bikes)

 

That's all I can think of for now.

 

Let us know how you get on and if there's anything we can clarify for you.

 

Edit: Longbarn's advice is pretty solid as well. Don't get distracted by the different types of bikes out there. Get one that is a good all rounder that could do a bit of everything.

[Big Ray]

Buy a mountain bike that fits your budget. I'm a firm believer in buying new first time around. The bike shop will advise on correct size, setup etc and you get a warranty. You also know that the bike will be in perfect condition.

People will tell you that you need this type of bike for marathon and that type of bike for cross country or this type of bike for trail riding and single track etc, etc etc. Don't listen to them. They are making it too complicated. Just buy yourself a bike to ride.

Then get on it and ride it. Ride as often as you want, when you want. Your skills will improve as you progress along.

This is in fact very good advice, there's nothing like the confidence riding a new bike gives you, so yes if you have the budget for it go new and get all the advice from the cycle shop that comes with it. Then ride it as often as you can, it is a very fulfilling sport.

[slickjay007]

Welcome!!

 

I agree that you should try out a few cycle parks and rent a bike to see if you enjoy the sport. Then decide on a suitable budget but include in the budget that you will need a helmet, a decent bib (cycle short), gloves and maybe a toolkit and water bottle.

 

Trust me cycling can become an endless money pit of upgrades and new clothing and spares BUT well worth every penny.

 

Good luck...